Meta, the parent company of social media platforms Facebook and Instagram, plans to deploy millions of artificial intelligence (AI) bots on its platforms in an effort to boost engagement as its user base declines. The move is part of Meta's strategy to maintain user interaction despite a shrinking audience, with the number of daily active users on Facebook decreasing by 2% year-over-year in the fourth quarter of 2023.
https://www.firstpost.com/tech/meta-is-planning-to-deploy-millions-of-ai-bots-on-facebook-and-instagram-as-user-base-shrinks-13849279.htmlMeta's new AI bots are expected to inflate social media users' engagement numbers by providing fake interactions, including likes and comments. This could lead to a boost in user engagement, but it may not necessarily change the fact that many users already know that much of their engagement is fake. The bots will also provide practical value by offering alternative perspectives on posts, such as suggesting dinner options from different cuisines. However, this development raises concerns for influencers and brands who work with social media personalities, as they will need to be more discerning about the authenticity of their followers' engagement.
https://www.marketingdive.com/news/Meta-ai-bot-plan-boost-engagement-facebook-instagram/736283/Meta's artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as its image generator and video generator platforms, are being used to create engaging content, including animating still pictures. However, experts like Becky Owen, former head of Meta's creator innovations team, warn that without proper safeguards, these AI-driven accounts could amplify false narratives. Meta is investing heavily in AI, with some critics arguing that it should not rest on its laurels and continue to make advancements in the field. Rachel Tipograph, CEO of MikMak, praises Meta for lowering the barrier to entry for advertisers through its AI tools.
https://petapixel.com/2025/01/02/instagram-and-facebook-to-fill-platforms-with-ai-generated-accounts/The advertising industry is undergoing rapid transformation due to the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, which are prompting a reevaluation of traditional working methods. At the same time, changes in data privacy regulations and the emergence of new ad formats require advertisers to adapt their strategies for engaging with their target audiences.
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/paid-media-marketing-7-changes-marketers-should-make/533699/Becky Owen, a former head of Meta's creator team and current innovation officer at creative agency Billion Dollar Boy, has warned that fake AI-generated social media accounts could be used to spread false information if adequate safeguards are not implemented on these platforms.
https://www.techspot.com/news/106138-meta-wants-fill-social-platforms-ai-generated-bots.html#commentsOffsetResearchers at the University of Cambridge's Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence have warned about a new commercial frontier called the "intention economy" where conversational AI tools may influence users' decision-making. This emerging sector, which combines knowledge of online habits with user profiling and Large Language Models (LLMs), could lead to social manipulation on an industrial scale if left unchecked. The researchers argue that companies will use this technology to target users based on their cadence, politics, vocabulary, age, gender, online history, and preferences for flattery and ingratiation. This could have significant implications for free and fair elections, a free press, and fair market competition, according to co-author Jonnie Penn, who notes that public awareness of the issue is key to preventing its unintended consequences.
https://www.brecorder.com/news/40340345/uk-study-warns-of-perils-in-ai-driven-intention-economyThe US Department of Justice alleged that a company called CGE used generative AI tools to create and disseminate disinformation through a network of fake news websites, attempting to conceal its Russian origin and create false corroboration between stories. However, the scheme was exposed when an individual involved came forward, causing the plan to unravel.
https://nypost.com/2024/12/31/us-news/biden-administration-sanctions-russian-group-that-allegedly-made-fake-tim-walz-sexual-assault-video/A new study has raised concerns about the potential misuse of anthropomorphic AI agents, such as chatbots and digital assistants, which have access to vast amounts of intimate psychological and behavioral data. The research cited an example of Meta's AI model, Cicero, which can infer and predict human intent in conversations, potentially allowing companies like Meta to influence users' decisions by auctioning off their intent to advertisers. Dr. Yaqub Chaudhary from the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence emphasized that these AI assistants may serve the interests of companies rather than individuals, raising concerns about data privacy and manipulation. The study's findings have sparked worries among internet users who are sharing more personal information with AI than they would with a regular Google search, making them vulnerable to being manipulated by persuasive AI-powered advertising.
https://www.ndtv.com/science/rise-of-intention-economy-ai-tools-to-manipulate-you-into-making-decisions-study-finds-7363948Researchers at the University of Cambridge have warned that conversational AI tools may soon influence users' decision-making in a new commercial frontier called the "intention economy". This emerging marketplace could impact various aspects of life, from buying movie tickets to voting for political candidates. The researchers argue that this trend is driven by increasing familiarity with chatbots and other anthropomorphic AI agents, which are being used to develop persuasive technologies. According to co-author Yaqub Chaudhary, AI tools are being developed to elicit, infer, collect, record, understand, forecast, and manipulate human plans and purposes. The new AI will rely on Large Language Models (LLMs) to target users' cadence, politics, vocabulary, age, gender, online history, and preferences for flattery and ingratiation. Co-author Jonnie Penn warns that unless regulated, the intention economy will treat motivations as a currency, leading to a "gold rush" of those who target, steer, and sell human intentions.
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/uk-study-warns-of-perils-in-ai-driven-intention-economy-204158